Nathaniel Jocelyn was an American portrait painter and engraver who lived from 1796 to 1881. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he initially trained as a watchmaker under his father before pursuing drawing, engraving, and oil painting. Jocelyn had a period of study with Samuel F. B. Morse and toured Europe with him, though his primary work was in the tradition of American Federal and Antebellum Portraiture. He was a devout abolitionist, which is reflected in his most famous and powerful work, the 1839 portrait of Joseph Cinqué, leader of the Amistad revolt.
Jocelyn's style is characterized by a detailed, dignified, and often heroic realism, particularly in his depictions of notable figures, including William Lloyd Garrison and Cornelius Vanderbilt. His portraits possess a striking clarity and solemnity that translate beautifully into cross-stitch. Stitching a Jocelyn portrait offers a meaningful connection to American history and the ideals of the 19th-century republic. These projects allow you to meticulously render the expressive realism and historical significance of his subjects, creating a portrait with the depth and texture of an heirloom tapestry.